Issue #2

I have a membership to a gym. I go to use the equipment in peace and quiet (otherwise I have 2 toddlers bugging me every minute). I don't go as much as I'd like and when I don't go I workout at home on my treadmill, run on local trails, or ride my bike. Now here's my issue. Why is it when the machine asks for my height, weight, and age it seems like it should be somewhat accurate when it reality...it's NOT. When I workout on an elliptical I find I'm hardly winded and I don't sweat. I have to crank the resistance up to almost it's highest level for me to feel anything and when it's like that I feel like I'm trying to walk through quicksand. When I do a half an hour on this type of machine, it says I've burned 500 calories. Now to me, a normal person would think they just burned 500 calories and could go ahead and eat 2 cookies for dessert since they've 'worked it off.' The elliptical I work out on looks similar to this one:

I get similar results when I workout on an Arc Trainer. At least when I exercise on this I feel winded and sweaty. I doubt it's acuracy also since one day it said I burned 1,000 calories in an hour.

The most difficult machine for me is the stair climber. I immediately start sweating and breathing heavily when I'm on this. Yet, in the same half an hour it says I've burned 300 calories. I just dripped sweat all over this machine and that's what I get???

Also at home when I run, I sweat and could not talk to you if I tried. In about a half hour time, I would get maybe 400 caloires calculated on this machine.

Now what's the deal??? Why when I work my butt off the machine shows the lowest calories?!? That's why I don't trust these machines. I use my WW activity points calculator and track my miles. It's just irritating that some people may take those calories on the machines at face value and that may derail their workout progress.